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Rachel Griffiths to Play Australian PM Julia Gillard in TV Movie

The actress is attached to star in the Aussie TV feature "Stalking Julia" as the nation's first female prime minister, who was deposed just seven weeks before this year's general election.

SYDNEY -- Rachel Griffiths is attached to star in the feature-length TV drama Stalking Julia, being developed by Hawke and Little Fish director Richard Keddie and production company WTFN.

Griffiths will play Australia’s first female prime minister, Julia Gillard, in the story of the tug-of-war between Gillard and Kevin Rudd for the Australian prime ministership, which resulted in the demise of the Labor Government in September this year.

WTFN has acquired the film and television rights to Kerry-Anne Walsh's book The Stalking of Julia Gillard, which tells the story of the media’s obsession with the fall and resurrection of Rudd at Gillard’s expense.

Keddie has worked closely with both Gillard and Rudd.

"This is an incredible contemporary Australian story, and when the truth is revealed I think Australians will be astounded,” he said in a statement.

Griffiths will delve into the challenges Gillard faced politically and personally as she fought running battles with factions inside and outside of her own party.

"I am thrilled to portray Australia's first female prime minister and explore the private aspects of her remarkable term," Griffiths said. "I believe that the creative and intellectual capacity of the team involved will produce a stunning drama that will reframe this historic period in our cultural and political life."

Added Walsh: "There is a great sense of injustice in the community at Julia Gillard's treatment by Labor white-anters and the media. ... Richard Keddie's integrity and stature will bring that to life, and expose the brutal truth about her doomed prime ministership.”

The Film Company, a subsidiary of WTFN – which is known for factual shows like Tony Robinsons’ Time Walks and Bondi Vet – will develop the project and is its first major foray into drama after acquiring Keddie's production company earlier this year. No broadcaster is yet attached.

TFC previously made Ronan Keating starrer Goddess.

Keddie, as head of drama and features for WTFN, is also developing his next feature, Oddball, for production in early 2014.